Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Monaco.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Monaco.
The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Stuttgart, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new freely branching Impatiens cultivars with compact plant habit, numerous flowers and interesting flower and foliage colors.
The new Impatiens originated from a cross made by the Inventor during the fall of 1996 of a proprietary Impatiens hawkeri selection identified as code number A 70, not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with a proprietary Impatiens hawkeri selection identified as code number O 024, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. The cultivar Monaco was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in controlled environment in Stuttgart, Germany, in May, 1997.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Stuttgart, Germany, since July, 1997, has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Monacoxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Monacoxe2x80x99 as a new Impatiens cultivar and distinguish it from other known Impatiens cultivars:
1. Large rounded pink and purple bi-colored flowers.
2. Freely flowering habit with flowers positioned above or beyond the foliage.
3. Compact, mounded and outwardly spreading plant habit.
4. Freely branching growth habit.
5. Dark green-colored leaves.
6. Good weather tolerance.
Plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the parent selections primarily in plant growth habit, leaf color and flower color.